Courtesy: Sri.KV.Ananatanarayanan
This is another story from Vishnusharma's Panchatantram.
An indigent Brahmin lived in a town, and for his livelihood he was entirely
dependent on the kindness of some good Samaritans. He never had good
clothes, good ornaments, not even a good mouthfuls of pan leaves but he
lived on at the mercy of others, unshaved and un-manicured, Without having
any proper living place he grew thinner and weaker by the day. Taking mercy
on such a poor soul, an affluent landlord presented him with two young
calves. The Brahmin was overjoyed, and he managed to feed the calves with
oilcakes, fresh grass and cottonseeds, and the cattle grew in time giving
him milk in plenty and rendering his life worth living.
A thief was watching the newly found affluence of the Brahmin with
interest. He decided to steal the cows from the Brahmin somehow or
other. Armed
with a rope he set out on his mission one fine night. En route he met a
person with monstrous features, red, round eyes, spear-like protruding teeth
and a huge tummy. Though frightened to the core the thief asked the other
person who he was and was given the reply that it was a brahmarakshas by
name Satyavachana. The thief in turn informed the ogre that he was a
burglar named Kroorakarmaa. He was on a mission to rob a Brahmin of his two
cows.
After some conversation they confided to one another. The Ogre said. "My
food habits are very regular. I would eat one Brahmin every third night. You
are going to the Brahmins house. You can have the Brahmin's cows and I
shall have the Brahmin himself as Dinner"
Discussing this and many other mutually complimentary activities the thief
and the ogre reached the house of the Brahmin. The Brahmin was fast asleep,
The ogre immediately tried to jump into action. The thief restrained him.
"My dear friend, let me just steal away the cows and just please wait
for your
dinner till I leave." The ogre was irriatated. " If you try to tie the cows
and take them away, they are sure to make mooing sound and the Brahmin will
wake up. If that happens, my dinner will be lost for all practical
purposes". The thief would not agree. " If some melee occurs in the
process of you killing and eating the Brahmin, my mission will be a
non-started.. so let me act first" insisted the thief. The argument became
louder with the shout, "I first", "I first".
Disturbed by the shouts, the good Brahmin woke up. The thief told the
Brahmin.. "Maharaj, this ogre has come to your house to eat you up".. The
ogre chimed in,"This fellow has come here to steal you cows" The Brahmin
rose up to the occasion chanted some strong mantras (spells) and drove away
the Brahmarakshas. Simultaneously, he made the best use of a sturdy wooden
rod on the pate of the thief and the burglary mission was also spoiled
The sum and substance of the story is that,
(1) A person who sets up on an illegal mission should never try to rope
in partners in the crime.
(2) However friendly you feel with a stranger you should not divulge
your plans to him completely.
(3) When executing acts which should go unnoticed, you should keep your
mouth shut
An indigent Brahmin lived in a town, and for his livelihood he was entirely
dependent on the kindness of some good Samaritans. He never had good
clothes, good ornaments, not even a good mouthfuls of pan leaves but he
lived on at the mercy of others, unshaved and un-manicured, Without having
any proper living place he grew thinner and weaker by the day. Taking mercy
on such a poor soul, an affluent landlord presented him with two young
calves. The Brahmin was overjoyed, and he managed to feed the calves with
oilcakes, fresh grass and cottonseeds, and the cattle grew in time giving
him milk in plenty and rendering his life worth living.
A thief was watching the newly found affluence of the Brahmin with
interest. He decided to steal the cows from the Brahmin somehow or
other. Armed
with a rope he set out on his mission one fine night. En route he met a
person with monstrous features, red, round eyes, spear-like protruding teeth
and a huge tummy. Though frightened to the core the thief asked the other
person who he was and was given the reply that it was a brahmarakshas by
name Satyavachana. The thief in turn informed the ogre that he was a
burglar named Kroorakarmaa. He was on a mission to rob a Brahmin of his two
cows.
After some conversation they confided to one another. The Ogre said. "My
food habits are very regular. I would eat one Brahmin every third night. You
are going to the Brahmins house. You can have the Brahmin's cows and I
shall have the Brahmin himself as Dinner"
Discussing this and many other mutually complimentary activities the thief
and the ogre reached the house of the Brahmin. The Brahmin was fast asleep,
The ogre immediately tried to jump into action. The thief restrained him.
"My dear friend, let me just steal away the cows and just please wait
for your
dinner till I leave." The ogre was irriatated. " If you try to tie the cows
and take them away, they are sure to make mooing sound and the Brahmin will
wake up. If that happens, my dinner will be lost for all practical
purposes". The thief would not agree. " If some melee occurs in the
process of you killing and eating the Brahmin, my mission will be a
non-started.. so let me act first" insisted the thief. The argument became
louder with the shout, "I first", "I first".
Disturbed by the shouts, the good Brahmin woke up. The thief told the
Brahmin.. "Maharaj, this ogre has come to your house to eat you up".. The
ogre chimed in,"This fellow has come here to steal you cows" The Brahmin
rose up to the occasion chanted some strong mantras (spells) and drove away
the Brahmarakshas. Simultaneously, he made the best use of a sturdy wooden
rod on the pate of the thief and the burglary mission was also spoiled
The sum and substance of the story is that,
(1) A person who sets up on an illegal mission should never try to rope
in partners in the crime.
(2) However friendly you feel with a stranger you should not divulge
your plans to him completely.
(3) When executing acts which should go unnoticed, you should keep your
mouth shut
No comments:
Post a Comment